In an initial indication of an impending breakthrough, von der Leyen announced on Friday that she would travel to meet Trump in Scotland, where the U.S. president was on a private visit.
Trump’s escalation shocked EU trade negotiators, who had been led to believe by their U.S. counterparts that a preliminary deal was within reach.
A tense situation ensued as Trump revealed a series of other deals, including one with Japan that set a baseline tariff of 15 percent while providing relief to its auto industry, which some considered a benchmark.
At the same time, the 27-nation EU activated its trade countermeasures, preparing a list targeting €93 billion in U.S. goods — ranging from aircraft to autos, and from soybeans to Kentucky bourbon — which would face retaliatory tariffs of up to 30 percent. These were set to take effect from August 7, absent a deal.
Von der Leyen had emphasized the importance of the $1.7 trillion transatlantic trade relationship and urged Trump to accomplish the largest deal that either of them have ever conducted.
She later stated, “The two biggest economies should maintain a good trade flow between us. I think we achieved exactly what we aimed for. Rebalance while enabling trade on both sides, which means good jobs and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, and that was important for us.”
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